Brotherhood Of Man singer Martin Lee dies, aged 77

2 October 2024, 10:08

Lee won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1976 with his group.

Martin Lee of Brotherhood of Man has died at the age of 77.

Lee was the main singer and guitarist of the second incarnation of the band, which won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Save Your Kisses For Me' in 1976.

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The song topped the Eurovision leaderboard at The Hague, in the Netherlands with 164 points, 17 ahead of second-placed France.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our great friend and colleague Brotherhood Of Man’s Martin Lee, who slipped peacefully away on the evening of Sunday, September 29, 2024, from heart failure after a short illness. Martin was 77," read a statement from the band.

"He will be sadly missed by his fellow band members Nicky Stevens, Lee Sheriden and especially Sandra Stevens to whom he had been married for 45 happy years.

Brotherhood of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me | United Kingdom 🇬🇧 | Winner of Eurovision 1976

"Over the past 50 years the four of us have toured the world together in harmony and have so many happy memories, but now we are in total shock and cannot imagine a world without Martin Lee RIP."

Born Martin Barnes in London in 1946, Lee had launched a solo career and played in the Johnny Howard Band before he was drafted into a revamped Brotherhood of Man by manager Tony Hiller in 1972.

The second version of the band also included Lee Sheriden, Sandra Stevens and Nicky Stevens.

Together with Hiller and Sheriden, Lee co-wrote Brotherhood of Man's three number one hits: 'Save Your Kisses For Me', 'Angelo' and Figaro'.

Lee, who had a daughter from a previous marriage, married his bandmate Sandra Stevens in 1979.

Brotherhood of Man continued to tour with their second lineup until they formally announced their retirement in 2022, having last performed two years earlier.